Sailing Through The Unexpected
by Aoi24
Summary: Drabbles and excerpts. Reposts from LJ chaos thread. Multiple themes, characters and prompts. Coby, Ace, Luffy, Marco, Roger, Rouge, Gin, OC sequels, Sabo, Final Fantasy Crossover. COMPLETE
1. Courage

Reposts of my additions to another Chaos thread of doom.

* * *

Prompt: Courage

Character(s): Coby

* * *

Coby was not brave.

As a child he had quavered under his blankets at the sound of thunder. He shuddered and clenched his eyes shut which did nothing to stem the tears gathering at the corners of his eyes. He was afraid.

When he decided to go fishing and ended up on a pirate ship he had thrown himself on the ground and begged for mercy shamelessly. He was terrified.

While under Alvida he had bowed and scraped bobbing his head obsequiously to every word directed at him. Obeying and slaving even as his body shook in fear.

He despised himself and wept because he had no courage and was the worst of all cowards.

Then Luffy came and gave him a push.

Coby ranted and raved. He fought with all of his strength. He vomited blood and passed out more times than he could mention but he kept getting up.

He shouted abuse at Alvida, struggled to untie Roronoa Zoro, threw himself in front of a cannon and turned pistols on his commanding officers for his friends. He bowed down on the ground and begged for training, pursued heinous criminals and fought his greatest heroes. Coby stood up to injustices and begged them to end a pointless war.

He did each of these things with a fear that hinged on madness.

If you asked the Vice-admiral where he got his courage from he would laugh at you and say what he always claimed from the beginning, that he was not brave but rather that he was a coward that was taught the true meaning of dreams by an outrageous man.

If you asked anyone else they'd call him the bravest man they know.


	2. On being a fanboy

A/N: Okay, this was done before by someone else (who I can't actually remember right now) but I loved it so much that I had to attempt a second go so consider this a (respectful) sequel to a previous fic you probably know. ^_^'

* * *

Prompt: On being a fanboy/fangirl

Character(s): Ace, Luffy, Strawhats, Whitebeard pirates

* * *

The Strawhat pirates had crossed paths with the Whitebeard pirates for the first time since the war.

Naturally, being who they were and not suffering from a healthy fear of a Yonkou or a sensible survival instinct, they quickly boarded in order for the brothers D to have their tear and snot filled reunion.

There was laughter, food, drink, gambling, dancing and music so it was pretty much like any other day with the Strawhats when they were welcomed aboard by their very fond rivals/comrades/friends.

After a monstrous feast (where Ace only fell asleep twice) everyone retreated to the deck in order to relax and catch up on gossip. Ace had promptly winked at Luffy and wiggled a thick book at which the aspiring pirate king had scuttled off to fetch his own.

They faced each other under the amused eyes of their families and drew their weapons.

"Shanks."

"Pffft, You already got him when we were kids. I got Oyaji, that's way better"

"I got him too! Besides, he's your captain so getting his autograph is no big deal!"

"Whatever. I also have all of the autographs of Pops commanders. Can you beat that?"

Luffy grinned "Don't need to, I got them all the last time I saw you guys. Don't believe me? Look, there's Pineapple-Ossan."

Ace whirled around and snarled "Goddammit Marco! This is between me and Luffy, don't interfere!" Marco merely guffawed unrepentedly "And don't think I won't deal with the rest of you bastards too!"

Luffy grinned and Usopp snickered in the background.

"Is that all you got Ace? I've really improved my collection since the last time I saw you. Check it out I've got Crocodile and Mr.1, Iva-chan and Crab-chan, Buggy and Fish-ossan too."

Ace gaped, clearly he had been a little too slack lately "Wait, Crocodile? Didn't you defeat him in Alabasta? I got Iva-san and Jimbei so you're not that far ahead yet!"

Robin looked up from her book "Don't forget the 'Supernovas Captain."

"Yeah, thanks Robin. I got all of the Supernovas too!"

Ace peered at the signatures and wondered whether Trafalgar Law had written an insult or a come-on. "Damn, I have to admit that I don't have any of them."

"I also got Rayleigh-ossan and Shakky!" Luffy cheered completely oblivious to the enormous spit-take performed by the crew of Whitebeard.

"SILVERS RAYLEIGH! HOLY" Ace paused and took a deep breath "okay, what do you want to trade. I have every ally of Pops. How about Whitey Bay? Or Doma?"

"Nah, got them already and Lola's mama too."

"Big Mama. Wow, Luffy I don't think I'll be able to compete with you on this level much longer."

"Oi," Sanji exhaled a long stream of smoke "Luffy. Show him that one."

Luffy blinked but complied and Ace leaned over the book "Boa Hancock…..is that a den-den mushi number?"

In the end it was declared a win for Luffy but Ace jumped him for an ass-kicking anyway consoling himself with the thought that at least he had that to hold over his little brother even if his autograph collection was that much more awesome than his own.


	3. Relicts

A/N: I seriously had to google this one. That's never actually happened to me before. Old!prompt. C:

* * *

Prompt: Relicts

Character(s): Marco, Ocs

* * *

Marco loved his mother. When he thought of her he remembered warmth, soft touches and an indescribable feeling of security that only a mother can bring.

He is slightly ashamed that he cannot remember her face anymore, only an impression of blonde hair, tanned limbs and eyes sparkling with mirth.

Mostly he remember the blood.

Years later and although he is now a grown man he still cannot figure out what happened in those moments. There was screaming, running and soldiers he knew that much. All of the chaos was reduced to a moment of horrific serenity when she protected him. His mother had fought off the enemies but not without cost. She curled her body around his to shield him and he shook with horror as her white robes gave way to a flowing scarlet of blood.

His warrior father returned in a blaze of bluebell flames and decimated those who remained. She touched Marcos face and left a streak of blood on his cheek. She murmured something to him but for the life of him he could never remember what she had said. His father had gathered her up in his arms, clutching her to his breast and pressing her forehead to his. It was only a moment. Then she was gone.

His father then gathered his young son in his arms and wept. Marco wept too and they took comfort in each other until their grief was spun out.

_==Break===_

The soldiers were gone but so many were left dead. They burned their enemies in a bonfire on the beach and gathered their own dead for a more respectable burial.

The sharpner carved their names and deeds onto the walls before adding the massacre to the great record.

His father took a long familiar golden belt and wound it around his childish torso before adjusting the clasp.

"This was your mothers as you know well. Wear it, my son for she has thrown down her life in order that you may live. Live Marco and live well."

The cold formality of his words was tempered by the haggardness of his face and the tears that were falling once more.

_====Break===_

The war was over but it seemed that the victors were determined to stomp them out. Once the burials were complete they fled in desperation to the new sea but they were pursued and soon found they had unjust bounties on their heads.

Marco learned from his father and saw just why the man had been feared in the war.

He learned to fight and survive from one of the most feared combatants on the ocean.

It was a thing of beauty to see in action and he would marvel to see him duck and weave through his foes leaving a blaze of blue fire in his wake.

Thus they passed the years and traversed the new seas searching for kin and safety. They encountered their cousins of the royal line fleeing for the same reasons. His uncle had clutched his shoulders and whispered their tale to him desperately and with a warning to be cautious he had taken his infant child and vanished.

His wife was not with him though.

_===Break====_

Luck ran out for them one day.

They were cornered and pinned down by agents of their enemies. It was decided that it would be entertaining to enslave and break a great hero of their eternal enemies. Marco however , was not needed.

The pain was like fire but the expression of horror on his father was that bit worse.

It was just like the death of his mother. He couldn't remember much of what happened and in the end he stood with his fathers corpse and the carcasses of their oppressors strewn across the clearing like so much debris.

It had been his fathers doing but he didn't know exactly how it had come about. Spitting on the corpses he had brought the remains of his family to the nearest record and buried him with all due reverence before he allowed himself to cry.

Everything he had ever known and loved was gone.

But Marco was still alive.

He adjusted his belt and set sail once more.

* * *

A/N: Far from the first time I've done something like this. I do actually like Marco though. ^_^''


	4. Serendipity

A/N: Rouge was awesome, she needs more love.

* * *

Prompt: Serendipity.

Character(s): Roger, Rouge

* * *

She didn't help him off the beach where he had washed up after the ship was wrecked. She did, however, poke him rather deliberately with a piece of driftwood.

She swatted her away and stumbled to his feet glaring at her to which she only looked patently amused.

"You're not dead then pirate? Should I call the marines?"

"I'm feared y'know. People all over Loguetown know who I am. The marines have chased me more times than I could count."

"I'd think they'd have better things to do than chase pickpockets."

He sputtered denials while she snickered at his reaction. She was a little younger than him with wild blonde curls springing everywhere in a haphazardedly chopped pixie cut. She was skinny and tanned to the degree that you only achieve as either a labourer or a playing child in the South Blue. Dressed practically in shorts, shirt and battered sandals her face was the sort that would break into a grin at any time.

"Shouldn't you be more sympathetic? I was just shipwrecked."

"An interesting experience I suppose." She laughed flopping down on the hot sand.

He puffed out his chest. "Well we were under attack from a rival crew and the captain went down so it was up to me to save the day!"

"Looks to me like you were caught in a tropical storm."

He blushed and scratched his head laughing nervously.

"Okay, I'm not a Captain yet but I'm going to be."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, I'm going to get the greatest shipwright in the world to build me a ship and then I'm going to gather up a crew of the best guys and sail the Grand Line!"

"What kind of crew?"

He paused and brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"I want…guys that I can rely on. A proper crew where we can all have fun together at the end of a battle."

The girl tilted her head to the side before nodding. "Sounds good. Who are you going to fight?"

"Other pirates of course! But the Marines will chase after me because I'll be a Captain instead of a stowaway…erm…Choreboy so I'll have to fight those guys too."

He punctuated his speech with flailing arms as he described the way he'd beat down all of his opponents.

"Portgas."

"Wha?"

"I'm Portgas D. Rouge. So what name qare they going to put on your wanted poster next time?"

"Heh, I'm Gol D. Roger and I'm going to conquer the Grand Line"

"Sounds good to me." She hopped up and gave him an enormous smile, blush dusting underneath her freckly cheeks "When you do that, come back here and tell me all about the amazing things you've seen!"

Roger gaped and realised that he'd just seen the most beautiful smile in all four blues before internally thanking Davey Jones for washing him ashore at her feet.


	5. Beyond the Horizon

Sequel to my fic 'Hoist the colours' from the last chaos thread. XD

* * *

Prompt: Beyond the Horizon

Character(s): Gin, OCs, reference to canon characters

* * *

Lico had nothing.

Alabastan soil held no love for him and he was eager to abandon it as soon as he was able.

The only thing that country gave him was a dreadful unquenchable thirst.

_-break-_

The years with Gin had been…educational he supposed.

He had never lived with anyone before and he had never met anyone who would bear his existence with a sort of grumpy passive resistance by ignoring him as much as possible before throwing himself on the sword (so to speak) in order to protect him.

It was a bizarre dichotomy that Lico could not understand. In the end he decided not to worry about the confusing nature of cantankerous old men and simply returned the unsaid with equal strength and the fervour of youth.

_-break-_

Gin did not like to be idle. He was always _doing_ something. From him Lico learned much of the outside world.

He learned how to fish, cook, navigate and (most importantly) how to keep a ship in good working order.

Looking back he would remember when Gin would sit in his deckchair while Lico perched on a barrel and tell him stories, songs and anecdotes from the age of dreams.

When Gin died, it was moments like these that he would weep for.

_-break-_

Marco-ossan was weird in some indefinable way.

Seeing him brought a surge of warmth and _kinship_ to his chest. He would grin wildly whenever the man came to visit carrying a drum of quality sake to share with Gin and ruffling the boys' hair affectionately.

Marco taught him all about his Devil Fruit and how to use it efficiently. He also cautioned the boy on all the dangers of the Grand Line. "Expect everything, be prepared for anything and look out for your nakama!"

He questioned Gin about him one day explaining how he thought Marco to be one of the saddest men he had ever met. Gin had looked at him in surprise for a moment before explaining that Marco was a man who was waiting to die.

"Because that man," he explained "has nothing left that would tie him to this earth."

_-break-_

He was all of nine years old when he first visited Loguetown.

Gin had decided that they were going to go stay in East Blue for a few years and they passed through the bustling port on the way.

The first thing they did was secure supplies because Gin was nothing if not practical. They visited a kiosk and purchased navigational equipment and sought information as to the movement of Marines and Pirates in the area. (Gin insisted it was so they could avoid them more easily and then he could take his afternoon nap in peace.)

Before they leave the elderly man takes the child by the hand and leads him to the execution platform.

"Two Pirate Kings have died there brat but make no mistake they did so because they chose to not because the Marines 'captured' them."

Lico stared up at the platform and through the bustle of the crowd he imagines he can hear Gold Roger challenging the world and Straw-hat Luffy calling them to adventure.

"Ne, Jiji. They weren't the only ones were they? They were just the ones that came here to call others."

Gin arches an eyebrow and makes a gruff grumbling noise.

"You're right there. They were great men but they were far from the only men of worth on the ocean."

_-break-_

The Baratie has been refurbished multiple times since it first set sail and it is no longer the only Sea restaurant on the waters.

Gin is greeted enthusiastically and a blonde chef with close cropped hair bounces out to meet him before sweeping him up in a hug. It seems that Gin is well known to the chefs but it has been some years since he last visited.

The food is amazing as is fitting but Lico hardly notices the flavour sensation that is the legacy of some of the most infamous cooks ever to tread the boards of a galley. Food is food to him. He's gone hungry often enough to appreciate anything put in front of him.

The mismatched duo stay for a while and Gin shoos him off later in the evening so he can catch up with his friends (And drink lots of booze Lico sourly thinks.)

Utilising the skills that kept him fed in Alabasta and caused Gin to snark about 'monkeys' on the ship he sets off to thoroughly explore the restaurant ship and see if he could filch dessert. His reward for his efforts is a mop to the back of his head. Later he has to remove splinters.

Caput is the chore girl and completely unapologetic citing that Lico deserves it for trying to filch food. She does however fetch both of them a bowl of pudding which they eat on the back porch. She has been on the Baratie nearly all her life and intends to be a top class chef when she grows up because 'I like food'.

Lico is merely pleased to have someone his own age to talk to for a change so he pretty much accepts anything she admits to. He has lots of his own secrets to hide so it's not really fair to ask her about the clearly visible claw scars across the right side of her face. They chat and swap stories until Gin picks him up by the scruff of the neck and tosses him back onto the boat.

_-break-_

Flying is a thrill that nothing can top but at the same time he is repulsed by the sensation. It will never feel natural to him no matter how much the Devil Fruit is now a part of his body.

Gin gives him an appraising look when he explains it in a mutter without meeting his eyes. He snorts and tells him that he's not strong enough to refuse such a gift of power so he'll just have to up his training.

"When the time comes." He grunts "You _will_ use that power to protect something important."

_-break-_

Fuusha is a quiet sleepy town but there is something about the inhabitants that tells you they are no fool.

It is the hometown of a Pirate king and the man who changed the world. Lico sips his orange juice and watches Gin chatting with the red haired barwoman and wonders what had made both brothers so strong.

_-break-_

Syrup village had absolutely nothing of interest but they visit there anyway. Someone shoots pebbles at them from a tree and Gin knocks the whole thing down with a careless strike from his Tonfa and tells the curly haired instigator to 'go tell them up at the mansion that Gin has come to visit.'

Lico has never seen anyone run that fast.

_-break-_

Years pass and Lico grows strong as all young people do.

He worries about Gin because the old man seems more tired than ever before but then the former pirate goes and throws the teenager _through_ the walls of the cabin and a few trees so he reasons that the old goat must have some life left in him yet.

When he turns seventeen the old man tosses his luggage at him and kicks him off the boat. Luckily they were docked near Syrup village. Gin tells him to get the hell off his boat and go be a pirate.

Lico recruits Banchina and they set off in their refurbished caravel to pick up Caput from the Baratie.

Three crewmembers isn't too bad to start with but Lico decides that they'd really need more guys so the trio of budding adventurers set out to secure themselves a swordsman.

They meet the dark-haired Claiomh almost accidentally and when he glowers and declares that he's going to be the greatest Swordsman in the world and if you could just direct him in the direction of the nearest swordsman that would be a great help thank you very much.

The aspiring swordsman finds himself bundled onto a caravel and eating a delicious dinner with his new crew before he realises just what's going on.

_-break-_

He feels that other great adventure tales probably have more action and adventure in the beginning but they're probably off on the right foot.

Banchina whose grandfather was a master sniper and taught her all he knew.

Caput, an abandoned waif who learned cooking and a diabolical kick style from the chefs of the Baratie. (Apparently it is a style that really suits girls, especially bodaciously curvy ones like her.)

Claiomh, who carries an enormous black blade that seems to shine almost white when he's in full battle fury.

Lico who can do damn near anything and has a fall back secret weapon at their back.

The _Kelpie_ who will carry them all there.

They're going to sail the world, see it all and claim titles of world renown before continuing on in that direction over there where they can't see what's coming next and it's going to be awesome. No doubt there.

Next, Lico declares, they're going to get a musician.


	6. Another Stranger Me

A/N: This is utterly insane and I have no idea where I pulled it from but hey, I had fun! XD Clearly I have experienced corrupting influences but I know for a fact that there is a subgenre of Harry Potter fics with this idea.

* * *

Prompt: Another Stranger Me

Character(s): Ace, Sabo, Strawhats, misc other characters.

* * *

Ace was raised by a strange scarred man that rarely smiled and whenever he did it was so painful that you wished you could cry on his behalf. It was the smile of a man who had lost absolutely everything precious to him in life.

It was also clear that he knew absolutely nothing about children.

_-break-_

They were constantly on the move for as long as anyone could remember.

One of his earliest memories involved sitting on his guardians shoulders as they walked through the sandy streets of Nanohana in Alabasta wrinkling his nose at the overpowering perfumes.

The familiar voice of his guardian washed over him telling the young child about the country and Ace drifts off to sleep.

_-break-_

They visited Baterilla once.

Ace and his guardian bundled themselves up tightly and concealed their features completely. They dressed like pilgrims making the journey to the holy land to pay tribute to the Celestial dragon.

When the man dressed the child with gentle hands he explained their cover story before snorting and telling him the true nature of the world and the Tenryuubito.

They visited a quiet little grave overgrown with weeds and hidden through some woods on a cliff where you could see the beach and the full breadth of the ocean.

It is a brief visit and one only made once for delicate reasons. Ace bows to his mothers grave, takes the hand offered to him and leaves the South Blue once more.

_-break-_

About once a year, give or take, he would bring Ace somewhere safe and set out to drink his regrets away.

He ultimately fails and ends the night sobbing until he chokes on his own bile crying out the names of the dead and pleading for a forgiveness he does not think he deserves.

Ace saw this once and it frightened him so much to see such a strong pillar dissolve into despair that he had locked the door and hidden under his bed until morning. He cannot block out the sounds of the sobbing though. He forever struggles to reconcile the image he has of his scarred, taciturn protector with the font of human mystery he had witnessed but he reasons that if the old man must be so strong for Ace's sake all of the time he needs to take a break every so often from doing so.

Ace swears to be stronger than anyone else and his guardian smiles softly and ruffles his hair.

"Make sure your reasons are the right ones Ace-kun."

_-break-_

"Ossan, why don't you have a proper name?"

He paused and idly smacked grubby little hands away from his plate.

"I lost the right to my name years ago. I don't want another."

_-break-_

Ace doesn't know why this man is his parent/teacher/trainer/comrade/vassal only that he has charge of him and it will be that way until Ace is strong enough to set out to sea on his own.

He asks once, how he came into his care and the man blanches babbles and mutters that if he knew how it was he got to that place he would damn well go back because everything was the same and different, all he knew was gone and he knew nothing about raising kids. Also, fate is one hell of a fickle whore because he was expecting to die.

Ace takes this to mean that something illegal was involved and pushes it to one side.

_-break-_

Ace has mixed feelings towards his errant Pirate king father. His guardians expression twists in a way that says he does not particularly like the man but he admonishes his charge not to speak ill of the dead especially when they have done nothing to you personally.

He raises an eyebrow wryly and mutters 'aside from letting you be born' at Ace's mulish expression.

He does, however, refuse to let Ace get into fights about the man saying that Gold Roger doesn't need anyone living or dead to defend his honour and least of all some snot nosed brat who ate too much.

_-break-_

The longest they ever stayed in one place was in the wilds of Mount Colbo under the dominion of the Goa kingdom.

They spent the year between Ace's ninth and tenth birthdays there. The old man (as Ace had always called him even though he couldn't have been much more than thirty at this stage) basically set him loose on the mountain and told him to survive for a year and he'd come pick him up when it was time to move on.

Although Ace was ostensibly living with the mountain bandits there he pretty much looked after himself. He wandered aimlessly around the slums for a week or so before he met Sabo. The two of them joined forces and set out to make themselves ready for their dreams.

When the 'old man' eventually appeared he was haggard, drawn and had a strangely fragile expression on his face. Ace had been stunned and for a moment he had thought his guardian was finally ready to break but he had merely surveyed the two boys, nodded once and thrown them both over his shoulders before returning to the bandits house.

Whatever he had been doing the previous year, he carried more scars now. His hands are marked with brutal marks that spoke of desperate clawing and broken fingers. Ace has been with this man for as long as he could remember and while he is not his father he is his protector, he is not his family but he is his ally and while he is silent and grave he is not cold or cruel so Ace is unafraid to ask what happened.

The man pauses, stares into his sake cup and tilts his head so his hat further shades his face. "My brother is dead." He murmurs and throws the rest of the liquid down his throat.

_-break-_

He easily agrees to take Sabo with them and they travel further through the seas.

It is livelier now with three in their travelling party and his guardian accepts Sabo easily merely nodding, smiling slightly and saying he hopes he doesn't eat as much as them because they were banned from enough restaurants across the oceans.

They spar everyday and continue on their quest to get stronger. Ace knows he has gotten stronger over the past year but all it really serves to do is show him how large the gap is between him and his guardian. It is clear the man has been holding back, is still holding back and has increased the intensity of their lessons.

On the first day he beats them both to the ground brutally and announces that he is far, far weaker than the least of the New World so if they wanted to protect their nakama they'd better be prepared to give every inch of their lives to protect them.

He draws them a hot bath for their muscles and spends the rest of the day teaching Sabo about navigation on the Grand Line because that is where they are going next.

_-break-_

Sabaody is an amazing spectacle to the two tweens. It is also the furthest they will ever travel with him. Ace has been there before but he had been a toddler, carried in the strong arms of his only parent. They rage when he refuses to let them explore merely shuffling them off to a bar in the lawless zone. They are introduced to the propretress and instantly reduced to her loyal and loving slaves choosing to ignore the relentless sniggers from their minder.

The particular person they have been brought there to see is there fortunately enough and they are plopped in front of the white-haired man who is told 'tell them about Gol D. Roger. Tell them something real.'

Silvers Rayleigh regards the heavily scarred man in front of him before proceeding to tell the two boys ridiculous adventures that he had on the Oro Jackson and about some of the best fights he has ever had. The boys refuse his offer to hear about Raftel and One Piece saying that they'll go there eventually and see it themselves.

All of the adults laugh at this.

_-break-_

When they are twelve they visit an island famous for their hotsprings. It is the first time Sabo has a proper opportunity to see the scars which are usually covered by long sweeping cloaks not unlike the ones favoured by the revolutionaries. He is in a relaxed mood and calmly shows them off, giving a vague cause for each one.

His entire back was mess of horrific burns (_logia bastard_) with the faint curls of the remnants of a purple tattoo barely visible in parts. His chest was mess of dips and curves and if you didn't know better you'd swear someone had punched right through his torso. (_They _did) His left arm and shoulder were meticulously neat in some gruesome way as if he had been tortured (_I soldered a tattoo off_), his hands speak of a future or arthritis (_I tried to raise the dead_).

There is not an inch of flesh that is not marred in some way. Even his face is a mess of cuts from which he clearly lost one of his eyes. Ace and Sabo never mention it but it is clear that those in particular were self inflicted.

Whatever sort of life he is lived, it is a sheer miracle that he is still on his feet.

_-break-_

By the time the boys reach fourteen they have been dragged over most of the world and seen more than some men ever see in their entire lives.

They still couldn't get the best of their erstwhile guardian, who now that he was thundering towards forty years of age had doubled the alcohol in his yearly binge and increased their training once more.

He insisted on returning to East Blue and made noises about leaving them to make preparations for their own journeys soon. They went there and promptly decimated a crew of fishmen pirates oppressing a village.

He chivvies them back to the boat and refuses to explain merely telling them to set sail for some new co-ordinates he has.

All the time they have known him he has never been the kind to start fights in bars. Sabo suggests that logically that Arlong must've picked a fight with him because he may not pick fights but he sure as hell will finish them.

_-break-_

Sabo and Ace are sixteen at the time.

He leaves them on an island in East Blue with plenty of money, slaps and advice. He cautions Ace to keep his cool and look after his nakama. Sabo is reminded to properly fasten the waterproof coverings for his manuscript and to watch his back.

He leaves them to forge their own paths and it is the last time either sees him alive.

When they reach seventeen, both set sail in different directions promising to meet again when they have had some adventures of their own.

_-break-_

Sabo, while wishing to write a book of the world, was ashamed of the noble lifestyle he had been born into and sought out the revolutionaries wanting to build a better world. It is several years until he meets his sworn brother again and when he does so he is accompanied by several grim faced revolutionaries including an elegant woman with striking features and an eccentric looking man with blue hair and a propensity for calling people 'bro'.

Sabo, for his part, writes _several_ books most of which are banned by the World Government for lies, propaganda, obscenity and revealing state secrets among other things so naturally they are the most successful and popular books on the Grand Line bar none.

The snaggled tooth explorer couldn't be prouder and always provides Ace with copies of his books.

_-break-_

Ace gathers a crew and they set off to explore the Grand Line. They have many adventures, earn impressive bounties and do all sorts of piratical things but if we were to recount them here there would never be an end to anything.

Eventually Ace gets it in his head to test himself against some of the great powers of the seas. He searches for Whitebeard and meets Jimbei triggering one of the most infamous fights of the time.

I doubt anyone expected to be press ganged at the end of it.

_-break-_

About six months after Ace officially joined the Whitebeard pirates (counting from his willingness to join, not the days of the countless assassination attempts) he finds himself drinking with the other commanders on the Moby Dick. Thatch declares Ace to be 'the second most surprising event of the year' prompting Ace to demand to know what he lost to.

Marco has a talent for stories so he takes over and tells Ace about the strange scarred man who showed up on the ship demanding to fight a man called Teach. Ace feels an icy grip on his heart as Marco describes him because there is only one man in the world that looks like that and he knows him intimately. He listens as they explain how the man refused to fight or harm anyone else insisting that he only wanted to fight Teach and that was it.

He did fight him or rather, he butchered him. He tore Teach to pieces within seconds before falling to his knees and laughing hysterically. He laughed insanely for a few moments before he descended into tears and began wailing about his brother.

The scarred man had pulled himself together, bowed politely to Whitebeard before promptly killing himself dying with a beatific smile upon his face.

Ace drops his mug and vomits over the railing. His comrades are alarmed and they rush to help him.

Thatch, being far more astute than people gave him credit for, asks Ace how he knew the man and the young commander is at a loss for words. He doesn't know how to explain his relationship with the man who had raised him and his brother.

_-break-_

He leaves them well supplied on an island in East Blue to make preparations for their setting off in a few years.

Sabo, having said his snot filled farewells and hugging their mentor tight goes to the shore to allow Ace some privacy to say goodbye to the man who raised him because they both knew they would never see him again.

Ace asks the same questions again and for once receives some answers.

"Why did you take me in?"

"Because Garp was dead."

"Why me?"

"I'm a 'D' too."

"What is your name?"

"I have no name."

"Ossan, who are you?" Ace hates himself for asking because this is the man who raised him, taught him, protected him and never once asked anything in return.

His mentor meets his eyes directly for once and lets Ace examine his brutalised features minutely and remains stoic as a strange kind of knowledge creeps across the teenagers face.

"I'm what you could be, I'm what you might be. I'm nothing but a shadow of a man who died and shares your blood."

Ace wasn't stupid but looking into the oh-so-familiar eyes he came to see what this man was. Not an enemy. Not his father. A shadow of something that could yet exist but does not yet.

The last thing he says to Ace. "You are a precious existence to others. Don't endanger your life or theirs."

* * *

A/N: Would you believe that this started out as an AU fic wheren Luffy and the strawhats collect a young Ace from Goa becuase Tenryuubito are on their way there and Garp asked them to protect him?

Seriously...

Also, despite switching to a different style of linebreaking the site accepted it and then proceeded to delete all of my new breaks. I knew there was a reason people hated this site. :C


	7. Going Back

A/N: This is the last one I wrote for this chaos thread so let's have a meta crossover send off.

* * *

Prompt: Going Back

Character(s): Marco, Oc.

* * *

Marco has travelled far to get where he is today.

He has travelled far to reach his family and he has done it alone.

At least, that is the conclusion he comes to based on his memories.

_-break-_

Thatch once asked him where he came from. Marco was surprised and not a little worried that he didn't know.

When he tried to think of his life before he felt as if he was walking across a barren land with no end in sight. There was nothing before life on the Moby Dick and will there was nothing he could really do about it there was a strong feeling that he had forgotten one thing in particular that he did not want to.

Just one thing now. A single important memory that he wanted to get back, he just didn't know what or why.

_-break-_

The weather is balmy and the beach is relaxing. He finds her sitting on a piece of driftwood; sandals removed, cuffs rolled up and faced tilted towards the sun.

He sits down beside her and she smiles in greeting. They stay there in silence merely appreciating the presence of the other until it is time to leave.

She touches his hand lightly in farewell and a strangely familiar thrill runs through him.

They go different ways.

_-break-_

He meets the woman on and off throughout the years and she never asks anything of him. She merely greets him with a smile tinged with something indefinable.

He flirts with her and she flirts back but she grasps his hand tightly and says that 'she can't' and that 'oh god, she would' but it's still 'she can't' so please don't go down that road. Marco assumes she's married and this brings her much amusement. She eventually boils down her explanation to a way that he can understand even if he has accepted.

"I'd never let you go and as it stands I cannot deny you your freedom."

_-break-_

As years pass and Marco fails to age he notices that she is the only one of his friends that does not age either. He corners her the next time they meet and traps her with his arms, refusing to let her escape without an explanation.

He leans in close and is pleased to note for all that her soft curves and scent is affecting his senses, she is having the same difficulty with his proximity.

She murmurs about 'Hyne' and how the world was different from the place she grew up.

At this point all he can think about is her skin, her hair and he scoops her up while she is still searching for a reasonable explanation. There is a frantic moment where everything makes perfect sense and the whole world can go rot for all he cares but then it is over and she is running out the door of the inn.

Then, something unexpected happens, he remembers.

Marco remembers a road alongside a grassy field and pulling her into the rushes for a moment alone and he _knows_ that it has never happened and he remembers it all the same.

_-break-_

Meeting the woman jars something loose and he can remember another land, another time, another life he once led where he ventured over land and sea with his companions.

He still can't remember them, only the sight of their backs as they walked on ahead or a glimpse of someone by his side in battle.

There's moments when he reaches for weapons he does not carry and shining crystals that hum with energy and reach out to him. He dreams constantly of a yellow one that lights up and _burns_ and his fingers twitch to grab it and _use_ it in some manner.

It is a strange sensation to remember and yet not remember. Memories come tumbling back and all, it seems, at her behest.

_-break-_

He sees her once more before Thatch dies and confronts her about it.

It is not her doing but it seems she may have unexpectedly triggered the collapse of his memory blocks. She denies it as her intention but does admit that she fails to regret it.

Her wraps her in his arms she slides her arms up until her fingers trace the contours of his face.

Marco remembers battles, journeys, magic and power. Long nights by the campfire, escapades into abandoned citadels seeking treasure and standing in front of her shielding her from a group bearing a coat of arms, swearing an oath to this effect.

It's almost there and they both know that he's missing something key. He kisses her once more and she goes on her way again.

_-break-_

After Thatch, after Ace, After Oyaji she comes before him again.

She kneels before him and he takes her hand.

"My Lady sorceress" he presses a kiss onto her knuckles.

"Ser knight" she returns the favour on his palm.

He remembers now and though he can't understand he remembers his love for his comrades as they adventured through the lands and his oath to her to stay by her side and end her existence once her human self died.

Marco also remembers Whitebeard. He remembers long nights drinking and playing games with his brothers, the nurses scolding the old man about his alcohol intake. Ace, who was always so painfully young, eager and desperate for acknowledgement, Thatch and the easy way he would swing from open mockery to wise observations.

He wants to return to his homeland.

He wants to remain with his family here.

He wants to fulfil all of their promises.

He wants to acknowledge the oath of his brand.

She takes his hand and shakes her head. "If I were to ask you to abandon your comrades, then it would be proof that I do not know you at all."

He tugs her in closer. "Then we are at an impasse for I cannot abandon my brothers but I cannot give up on you either."

"For once," she grins saucily "let me be of use to you."

_-break-_

The great pirate Edward Newgate died and the world descended into chaos.

In time, things settled down and time moved on. His crew were still out there and they refused to let his name die.

It was said that they were lead by his first son who made a sacred vow to protect his brothers forsaking his mortality to forgive it. The phoenix lit up the sky for countless years until one day he felt his duty was done and he returned to the service of the immortal sorceress to whom he first swore his loyalty.

She had been with him from the start.

* * *

A/N: Why, yes. That is an allusion to Final Fantasy, materia and magicite(particularly the sorceresses of FFVIII)  
Again with Marco but aside from being a really cool dude he's a friggin' Phoenix. It spawns this stuff automatically.


End file.
